Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30&nbsp;years. He is a British citizen and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Chris worked in the air cargo business for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. He subsequently edited two air cargo journals before becoming AIN’s Defense Editor. He retired from that position in 2018, but still contributes to the publication. Chris has written extensively on aerial reconnaissance, including four books on the history of the U-2 spyplane. He also lectures on this and other topics related to intelligence-gathering in the Cold War.

Defense Correspondent

Chris Pocock

The long-mooted European Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) moved a step closer to reality with the signing of a contract with Airbus Defense &amp; Space for two A330MRTTs, for delivery in 2020. The Organization for Joint Armament Cooperations (French acronym OCCAR) committed to the aircraft on behalf of the Netherlands and Luxembourg. But seven other European NATO countries that were expected to commit to the MMF have not yet done so.

 


The Netherlands is the lead nation in the MMF project, since its air force already operates large tanker transports &nbsp;(KDC-10s). The other nations that expressed a willingness to join the project were Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The contract signed this week includes options for six more aircraft. Airbus DS said that Belgium, Germany, Norway and Poland were still expected to join.

 


These A330MRTTs will be equipped for both boom and hose/drogue refueling, and will also be capable of cargo, passenger and medevac missions. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) will manage their support, after the first two years of operation.&nbsp;

Seven European Nations Fail To Support Joint Tanker Fleet 

Only two Airbus A330MRTT aircraft ordered by only two countries

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